Adapter for telephone calling devices



July 21, 1925.

J. ERICKSON ADAPTER FOR TELEPHONE CALLING DEVICES Filed Jan. 22. 19

Patented July 21, 1925.

UNETED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN ERICKSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO AUTOMATIC ELECTRIC COM-PANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

ADAPTER FOR TELEPHONE CALLING DEVICES.

Application filed January 22, 1923. Serial No. 614,142.

The present invention relates to adapters for calling devices andtransmitters, and more particularly to an adapter which pro vides meansfor assembling together a call ing device and a telephone transmitterinto a self-contained unit which may be attached readily to asubscribers telephone instru ment.

The object of the present invention is the production of an adapterwhereby a calling device and a transmitter may be readily attached to awall type subscribers telephone instrument, without the necessity ofdefacing the instrument to the extent of making new holes through whichwires pass to the transmitter or calling device.

This adapter is particularly intended for application to telephoneinstruments connecting with central offices which are being re-equippedand transformed from manual operation to automatic operation.

When a central telephone office which has been operated manuallypreviously is recquipped for automatic operatlon, it is necessary toequip each subscribers telephone instrument connecting with that office.with a calling device such, for example, as that described andillustrated on pages 38-43, inclusive, of Automatic Telephony, secondedition. This is a book written by Smith and Campbell and publishedby'Mc- (-l'raw-ltlill Book Company, New York city.

This calling device, if mounted directly on the face of a wall typeinstrument, necessitates making a hole therein, at or near the pointwhere the calling device is mounted in order to pass the wiresconnecting with the calling device to the interior of the in strument,or, as an alternative, to run the wires from the calling device alongthe face of the instrument to the opening at the rear of thetransmitter, through which the wires connecting with the transmitter arepassed to the interior of the instrument. This latter method results inan unsightly appearance which is incompatible with good telephonepractice.

It is, of course, desirable in attaching calling devices, that thenecessity of making additional holes in the subscribers telephoneinstruments for the purpose of passing wires through the faces thereofbe obviated and furthermore, on some types of subscribers wall typeinstruments, it is i1npracticable to bring the connecting wires for thecalling device through the face of the instrument at the particularpoint where it s desired to attach the dial, on account of mterferenceby apparatus inside the set. This is especially true of some types ofcoin collecting telephones, wherein any additional Wires which might bepassed through the face of the instrument at points other than the onealready provided for the transmitter wires would be likely to interferewith the coin chute within-the telephone.

This invention provides an adapter combimng in one piece, means wherebya calling device can be mounted on a subscribers telephone instrument ofthe Wall type without the necessity of making additional holes in saidinstrument for the purpose of pro- V'iding outlets for connecting wires,means for mounting a transmitter on said subscribers instrument, and aninclosed conduit for the conductors leading from the telephone set tothe transmitter and the calling device.

Referring tothe drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation and Fig. 2 afront elevation showing the adapter with a calling device andtransmitter attached thereto and mounted on the face of a telephone walltype instrument. 1 is the adapter, 2 is the calling device, 3 thetransmitter, zind 4 the tele phone box." Fig. 3 is a rear view of theadapter in which 5 is a channel forming a conduit for the conductorswhich run for a short distance thereunder along the face of theinstrument to the opening therein situated between the transmitter andthe calling device, the transmitter being raised somewhat from itsoriginal position in order to give sufficient room for the callingdevice to be mounted underneath and also to give the box a moresymmetrical appearance. 7-10, inclusive. are threaded screw holes forattaching the adapter to the face of the telephone'box by screws passedthrough said face from the interior of the box. 11 and 12 are screwholes for attaching the transmitter to the adapter, while 13 is athreaded screw hole through which the screw 14 (Figs. 1

and 2) is passed to lock the calling device in place.

Referring now particularly to Fig. 1, 15

is the transmitter mounting plate and is held in place by screws whichpass through the holes 11 and 12 in the adapter. 16 is a nut threaded onthe screw which passes through the screw hole 12.

It will be noted, particularly in Fig. 1, that the lower end of theadapter is so formed that the calling device face is at an angle fromthe vertical. This gives the user a moredirect view of the callingdevice when he looks down at it, it being assumed, of course, that theinstrument is so mounted that the transmitter is in line with the mouthof the average user, and consequently, that the calling device is lowerthan the users eyes.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination, a subscribers telephone set including a transmitter,an adapter, a calling device attached to one end portion 7 of saidadapter, said transmitter mounted on the other end portion thereof,

and means for detachably mounting said adapter on said set. I

2. In combination, a subscribers telephone set including a transmitter,an ada tor comprising a metal plate, a calling device attached to oneend portion thereof, a channel integral with said adapter forming aconduit for conductors for said calling device, and means for'detachably mounting said adapter on said set.

3. In combination, a subscriber s telephone sct including a transmitter,an adapt er comprising a formed metal plate, a calling device attachedto one end portion of said adapter, said transmitter mounted on on saidset.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 16th day ofJanuary, A.

JOHN ERICKSUN.

